Kukri-Anyone Have Experience with them?

[Libertas7]

So I've started becomimg more interested in the kukri/khukuri recently, and was wondering if anyone here has used them. Do you like it? Would you recommend one for your main knife or a back up? I'm particularly interested if there is any use trying to stab with a kukri. I ask because if I'm ever attacked by an animal (or something else) stabbing would probably be how I react if I don't have time to think. And if there is anything else I should know about them please teach me.

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[tac]

The kukhri is not a stabbing blade, but a hacking/swiping blade, as you can see by the heavy shape of the forepart of the blade. It is made to take heads off, not stab.

Ask the Japanese, Argentinians and taliban.

tac

 

[2A2Dend]

I acquired a Ghurka that I know nothing about. The blade is stamped TEMPERED STEEL, and in an arch under it "Made In India". The handle is inset with three inlays (3 colors) on both sides. I have no idea what the handle is made of (bone or horn?) but it is granular like wood. It looks to be all hand made. The cap (back of the handle) looks to be brass, and what looks flakes embedded in.

I've tried to research it in hopes of learning more about the one I have. I never found another like this one in particular. There are so many out there, searching becomes exhausting.

 

[thorborg]

I might use one for plundering and pillaging a village. Slitting throats and hacking off limbs sort of thing, but for general survival, It is my opine you need a strong blade that's not just sharp, and will keep an edge, but you can also pry with. To that end, of reasonable thickness, 3/16 +-. It would be hardened at blades edge to maintain sharpness and annealed somewhat along the back for strength, ductility. Warning: thick doesn't do cheese well.
Overall, fairly straight for use as a spear or your favorite sport "Stabbing". Like into a tree to hang your lantern from.
A sharpened concave drop point for gutting. straddled by two fingers, you'll never hit the bowels.
4 1/2 inches preferred and no more than six as having the working point close at hand makes mechanical sense for me.
Jungle flora and the sushi chefs would require different tools.

 

[Joe13]

I have one from Napal made from hammered out car suspension leaf spring metal.

It's wide and will take a huge beating.

The inner curve near the handle (micata special ordered) is a finer edge for smaller tasks.

Definitely a hacking weapon and not stabbing.

Ton of cheap knock off crap ones in stores that are patterned after the good ones but are nothing like a real one.

The kukhri is not a stabbing blade, but a hacking/swiping blade, as you can see by the heavy shape of the forepart of the blade. It is made to take heads off, not stab.

Ask the Japanese, Argentinians and taliban.

tac

^^what he said

 

[mjbskwim]

I acquired a Ghurka that I know nothing about. The blade is stamped TEMPERED STEEL, and in an arch under it "Made In India". The handle is inset with three inlays (3 colors) on both sides. I have no idea what the handle is made of (bone or horn?) but it is granular like wood. It looks to be all hand made. The cap (back of the handle) looks to be brass, and what looks flakes embedded in.

I've tried to research it in hopes of learning more about the one I have. I never found another like this one in particular. There are so many out there, searching becomes exhausting.

You don't have a ghurka. That's the soldier that carries the kukri knife
But it is most likely hand made in someone's back yard,out of a leaf spring. I believe the handles are wood as they aren't very fancy knives. I was told the 2 little knives are for eating with.
And if you was dead and had some nice boots on they wood just chop off your feet instead of untie the boots.
Anyway,they are a pretty big knife to carry around every day

 

[finnmike]

My Kukuri in my avatar was purchased through bladeforums. Sign on and watch for Auntie (Yangdu) and her sales. Beauty and blems for 9/21
Be careful, they multiply!

 

[Joe13]

You don't have a ghurka. That's the soldier that carries the kukri knife
But it is most likely hand made in someone's back yard,out of a leaf spring. I believe the handles are wood as they aren't very fancy knives. I was told the 2 little knives are for eating with.
And if you was dead and had some nice boots on they wood just chop off your feet instead of untie the boots.
Anyway,they are a pretty big knife to carry around every day

True and no they are not every day carry blades unless you live in the woods and have a lot of woods. Fantastic camping or woods knives - maybe even for home defense but probably not enough room in a hallway to swing it properly - they make fighting knives that would be more suitable for that. Kbar usmc knives for example.

 

[308]

Hymalayan Imports
Himalayan Imports / BirGorkha Khukuri (Nepal)

Read "their" story and history on the website if you like. I really appreciate their history, tradition and quality. I bought the 12" Ang Khola

 

[finnmike]

The little "villager" kukuris in the 12" range are pretty handy around the garden patch, tho. They sure raise *ell with the moles my cat captures.....

 

[Libertas7]

Another reason I asked about stabbing is because one of the kukris I am interested in lists it's functions, one of those being stabbing: Kukri Detail

I guess that is just for keywords.

 

[Libertas7]

True and no they are not every day carry blades unless you live in the woods and have a lot of woods.

Sounds kind of like me...

Kbar usmc knives for example.

Annnd that's the knife I'm currently carrying.

 

[jonnyonthespot]

The newer one currently issued to Gurkhas who deployed to the sand pit is pretty good. I don't own one but I got to see them up close.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

I have a Nepalese Kukri and I really like it as a chopper! That said, I don't want to carry it very far! I have a number of better survival knives!
I dislike any chopping knife and/or machete that has no stabbing capability! Worst comes to worst, "Excuse me, I have to go use the angle grinder!"
There are a wide choice of Kukri's that have a shallower angle of drop on the front of the blade, allowing for stabbing. They are still very weight forward.
The Kabar Combat Kukri, comes to mind! Good luck on finding a blade that's too your liking!

 

[Joe13]

I wouldn't use anything without a hilt of some type for stabbing so my hand doesn't slide up the blade during restance.

I also use a Tops 9" Anaconda primarily because of the straighter blade and ease of sharpening in the field.

Honestly, I still have to try and only carry my kukuri for a weekend and see if it's something I can replace my Tops knife with. I carry a rat 3, between that and the tops they handle everything I have needed.

I wanted a kumuri for the historical significance personally and havet used it much.

 

[HarryHaller]

I have two of them and they're all I carry now for backpacking and often for hiking. I have an Ontario Kukri, $50 on amazon it has served very well for a lot of chopping and batoning and still going strong. The sheath it comes with isn't great, so I generally use it around the yard or car camping fire making.

I have a Cold Steel Gurkha Kukri $175 on Amazon. This has seen a lot of use clearing small trees from trails hiking and backpacking, batoning firewood, and shaving tinder. It comes with an excellent sheath that has protected it from moisture on plenty of rainy hikes. I started out with the Ontario for the price and not long after went to the cold steel for the sheath and in my opinion more comfortable handle.

I don't know about quickly producing a knife to defend against an animal attack, that's why I carry a .357 in the woods. Though designed for chopping in does have a sharp point, could definitely stab something.

 

[Joe13]

They will go thru an eye socket or thru the roof of a mouth but I wouldn't want to be holding on to the thing if that were the case.

Like the .357 comment, a good pistol in the woods is infinitely more useful for protection unless your Daniel Boone

 

[The Heretic]

I have a KaBar Kukri:



I didn't buy it as a self-defense knife, I bought it as a brush cutting knife. It does better than the Cold Steel machete I bought which is longer, because it is heavier and thicker, whereas the machete just bounces off brush.

I suppose be okay for hacking at someone in self-defense, but I consider knives to be my absolute last resort as a self-defense weapon.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

They are, obviously good fighting weapons, ask the Gurkas.

I believe that, unfortunately it requires very specialized training to get the best out of them.
They can take a sapling out or split wood in no time! As a camp knife they are great, better than a hatchet, IMHO!

 

[Libertas7]

Cold steel Kukri's are an excellent stabbing blade.

When you stab with it do you thrust with the tip straight and your hand/grip at an angle? i.e. Between a push dagger and a Bowie knife. Or more how you'd use a Bowie?

I have a Nepalese Kukri and I really like it as a chopper! That said, I don't want to carry it very far! I have a number of better survival knives!
I dislike any chopping knife and/or machete that has no stabbing capability! Worst comes to worst, "Excuse me, I have to go use the angle grinder!"
There are a wide choice of Kukri's that have a shallower angle of drop on the front of the blade, allowing for stabbing. They are still very weight forward.
The Kabar Combat Kukri, comes to mind!

Being able to use the tip is a must for me. Though it doesn't necessarily have to be a clip point like I'm use too. And the Kabar Combat Kukri is high on my list.

Good luck on finding a blade that's too your liking!

Oh, finding some to my liking has never been a problem, it's the narrowing it down to one or getting enough money to get them all that is. Thanks though!

I also use a Tops 9" Anaconda primarily because of the straighter blade and ease of sharpening in the field.

I'm actually better with a diamond sharpening rod then with a stone, as my main pocket knife has a slight foreword cant. (Note: better does not mean good) Although that is a good point.

I don't know about quickly producing a knife to defend against an animal attack, that's why I carry a .357 in the woods.

A handgun would definitely be better, I just don't have that as an option right now. I am planing to remedy that.